Africa: African genomics project launched

Ten years after the first draft of the human genome was completed Africa hopes to jump on board the genomics revolution with a partnership announced on 22 June. The US$37 million Human, Heredity and Health in Africa project (H3Africa), sponsored by the US-based National Institutes of Health and UK medical charity The Wellcome Trust, will enable African researchers to conduct genetic population-based studies into non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease over the next five years.